Consider my leg swept

We ran fast and stopped when I needed for merkins. (did forget to hit pause on the mileage calculator once so the numbers are a tad off) Actually the first two miles were upper body, mile 3 was lower body, there was a little yoga thrown in cause we had time and needed it.

I think we hit 100 merkins, 50 dips, lots squats, and then finished with 10 burpees EMOM until 0600. Also 3.3 miles  

https://www.strava.com/activities/4678144477

NMM:

No vocal message today. I’m actually trying to be still and listen a bit more. It’s against my natural instincts, but so is waking up for a workout at 0515….so there’s that.

Thanks to VuVu for the call. Really grateful for the opportunity to lead at this AO. The amount of super fast PAX pushes me to MOVE. When I Q at STL, I know I can’t (shouldn’t) fall back to the 3 or the 6. It makes me give more effort than I might otherwise. Oh that we all could be leaders in groups that push us to be better.


Band Camp dismissed

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Meat and Potatoes

YHC had the privilege to have the last Q of Fire Ant before the AO moves and is rebranded as “Currahee.” Plenty of good memories at FA, but Currahee will not disappoint with the new 0500 start time. 

Wegmans and YHC took a clown car to meet up with Repeat for an 0445 pre-ruck. Apparently pre rucking is the thing to do… as IT/Divac and Maximus/Olaf were also getting after it prior to our launch. 

We circled back to the shovel flag and the PAX were arriving in full force. Maximus knows how to bring the crowds for his Golden Corral Q. A few PAX decided to join YHC for the ruck portion. 

Maximus eloquently disclaimed the disclaimer, and we parted ways. 

 

Quick Warm Up Ruck/Shuffle to the YMCA Field

YHC started moving some tires around and Bonsai yells out “those tires have COVID.” Fortunately the intent was to use them as distance markers… nice try there Bonsai, but I ain’t no spring chicken. 

 

Iteration 1:

“Mosher” – 4 Rounds 

14 Ruck (Front Rack Position) Front Squats

25ft Lunge Walk w/ OH Hold

14 Strict Press

25f Bear Crawl w/ Ruck Drag

Plank hold w/feet on tire while the 6 finishes up

 

Iteration 2:

“Time Fuse”

50 Ruck Get Ups

50 Ruck Curls

50 Ruck Squats (Ruck On)

50 Ruck Swings

*Stop and perform 3 ruck burpees every 2 minutes.

YHC had an interval timer and was happy to announce the burpees every two minutes. The rain really picked up about halfway through this iteration. Thanks to Bonsai’s request – we remained slightly dryer by working out on the high ground in the field. Slightly…

Start heading back to COT via Lake Vista Blvd 

 

Iteration 3:

CMIYC 

P1 Farmer Carry both rucks, P2 perform 10 Merkins. Chase, flap jack. 

Proceed to BoA ATM – Perform 10 Ruck Merkins together.

Shuffle back to COT – 4 minutes remain.

 

Iteration 4:

Finisher

End with 5’s (the younger cousin of 7’s) of Burpees/Manmakers in front of Bubbles N’ Bows 

Complete. What a doozy! At this point everywhere on the ground was a puddle. There was no “damp” pavement. We were drenched. Felt like a kid again.

 

Announcements: 

Dam to Damn Bar this weekend! Hit up Alcatraz to double down!

The Yeti is waiting for you to sign up. First weekend in March.

 

Prayers/Praises:

Praise for words of wisdom and the opportunity to learn from Pax who have gone before us in our current stages.

Prayers and praise for Splinter’s recovery after donating a kidney to a friend.

Prayers for those unspoken things that sit so deep in our hearts.

 

Divac, thanks for the nod – looking forward to embracing the suck at Currahee!

Punch list out.

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Pyramid attempt at Fire Ant

On Christmas Eve, Divac introduced us to the way he was going to run The Fire Ant AO now that he is in charge. And guess what, it’s not for the faint of heart. That said, I had to live up to the billing.
In recent months, I’ve noticed a great way to challenge the PAX is to post the Weinke on the socials ahead of time. It also holds me accountable to planning the proper beatdown. So here goes:

Ruck 1 mile at a sub 14min/mi pace to TCES. Full disclosure, Punch List led us at a 13:37 pace…giraffe.

10 Man Makers
20 Lunges (ea leg)
30 Merkins (single ct)
40 Real Squats (you know what this means)
50 Mountain Climbers (left/right = 1)
60 LBC’s (single ct)
70 Curls
80 Peter Parkers (40 I/C) – I believe this is where the leaders ran out of time.
90 Bent Over Rows (45 I/C) – I was really looking forward to these!
100 Flutters w/ Press (50 I/C) – Surprise, Surprise. I was really, really looking forward to these.

Ruck 1 mile back to the Start Ex at a sub 14min/mi pace. We made it about .25mi and I abruptly stopped everyone for a Switzer. The new instructions were to Jail Break back to the Start Ex to complete as many Flutters/Press as you can until 0600. The leaders arrived at a 10:05 pace and a heart rate that neared, “explosive.”

COT practices with the Golden Corral bootcampers.

SYITG,
Maximus

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Log PT

Disclaimer was spoken and we opened up the truck to grab some logs. These logs are pretty sizable, and range from 100-200 pounds. Two PAX per log.

Move the logs to the grass lot/field behind the church. Set logs down on one end of field. While P1 does circuit below, P2 either shoulder carries log out and back to set point or does end over end log flips. Flap Jack until each partner completes entire circuit. Not a DORA – each PAX does 20 of each movement. 

Circuit 1

20 Ruck Thrusters

20 Push ups with side ruck pulls (Ruck at your right side…do a push up and then pull your ruck to the other side with your left arm, push up, then pull it back with your right arm)

20 Ruck Burpees

Breathing intensifies…

Circuit 2

20 OH Squats

20 Squats Ruck up front

20 Ruck Swings

 

LOG PT

Partner up by height to make the log carry more… fair.

5 Ground to Shoulder each side

10 OH press w/log (alternating shoulders)

10 big boy sit ups w/log

10 log press while on back

Carry/Ruck logs back to COT… toss them into the truck.

Last Minute Mary

25 4 ct flutters w/ruck press

11 4 ct Dollies w/ruck pressed

5 big boy sit ups w/ruck on front

 

COT. Nice work, men.

Announcements

Dam to Damn Bar is almost full!

F3 10 Year Convergence taking place

1/1/2021 where it all began.

Prayers/Praises

Prayers for marriages. This past year has been good and bad with regard to time spent with spouses. Pray we take advantage of those added moments with our wives.

Prayers for my mother in law who is down and out with arthritis and sciatica.

 

Thanks to Divac for letting YHC pick up the Substi-Q from Spiderman at the last minute.

Punch List out.

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Are You Committed?

YHC had the honor to share the Q with Dark Helmet in celebration of his six years in F3. The disclaimer was disclaimed and the group split between The Fort and Milkshake. Here’s what we did:

  • 10 Imperial Walkers (IC)
  • 10 Low Slow Squats (IC)
  • 10 MNCs, Overhead Claps, Raise the Roofs, Little Baby Arm Circles (IC)

Mosey to the back parking lot

  • 20 Burpees
  • Lap
  • 40 Merkins
  • Lap
  • 60 Squats
  • Lap
  • 80 Little Baby Arm Circles
  • Lap
  • 100 Calf Raises
  • Lap
  • 80 LBCs
  • Lap
  • 60 American Hammers
  • Lap
  • 20 Burpees

Transition to Dark Helmet

For DOAH’s half, we ran around downtown to various parking lots for mumblechatter, Burpees, Bear Crawls, Flutters, and a myriad of other “fun” things. At each stop, he spoke to the 5 Core Principles, the Credo, and various other lessons on becoming a better man through F3. He’s an example of how a man can change if he commits.

So, are you committed? Without commitment, nothing happens. Commitment is required for any gains; gains in your fitness, faith, marriage, work, and life. Commitment is not a feeling. It’s a requirement to get through the hard times. We post in the heat, cold, rain, or shine. Why? Because doing the hard thing at the hard times prepares you for the the future. Commitment isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary to get you prepared for the next hard thing. You can’t get out of something that you don’t put into.

Six years ago, DOAH made the first commitment to daily investment into his fitness. Because of his efforts, he’s down over 50 pounds and up hundreds of new friends. He’s a better husband, father, and leader. What’s his secret? Commitment to betterment – the daily red pill. You have to commit if you want to see gains. Get after it, fellas. Today’s your day. Take it!

Aye!

Italian Job

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Fresh off GR021, we’re now at the Fire Ant

If you were one of the 20 PAX that attended Fire Ant today, you heard me talk briefly about the impact of GR021 (GrowRuck 021) in Louisville this past weekend. Along with Olaf, Shady, Italian Job and Dark Helmet, I was blessed to participate in this extremely impactful weekend. Much like the rest of F3, the true benefits go way beyond the workout or in this case, the 14hr team ruck event spanning Saturday night into Sunday morning.

I tried to bring back just a taste of what we experienced and some of my learnings but unless you actually participate in these GrowRuck weekends, it’s hard to comprehend. However, I did want to bring a taste of the PT to our local PAX and so with 19 other Ruckers, we did the following.

Disclaimer

Warm Up
Jog, Knees to chest, Jog, Toy Soldiers, Butt Kickers, Jog back to our rucks

SSH x 5
Windmills x 5
SSH x 10
Windmills x 5

Ruck Up
Rucks overhead for a 30ct
Ruck Curls x 20 IC
Squat hold with rucks overhead for a 20ct
Ruck swings x 20
Tricep Extensions x 20 IC
Squat with ruck press x 10 IC

2 line ruck shuffle to back lot & ground the rucks
3-tier suicides then ruck up
Bear crawl to the far suicide line and plank
Bear crawl back to the half way point and circle up
Slick-dying cockroach x 30IC
BEAR ROACH for a while (I think we did a total of 20 to the left and 20 to the right). For this exercise, you get into a bear crawl position with your ruck on then upon command, roll over to the dying cockroach position. Upon command, get back to the bear crawl position.

2 line ruck shuffle back to the first starting spot and circle up
5 Merkins – 10 Carolina Dry Dock – 15 Bent Over Rows (all IC)
5 Squats – 5 lunges each leg
2 line ruck march back to COT

Announcements:
Read your newsletter
SIGN UP FOR THE F3 10YR
SIGN UP FOR A FUTURE GROWRUCK

SYITG
Maximus

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9/11 NaFo Tower Climb

Today on the 19th Anniversary of September 11th I had the privilege and honor to lead the men of The Fort in my version of the Tower Climb.

We honored my friends who gave it all to make sure the citizens of NY would be safe.

POLICE OFFICER RAMON SUAREZ TD-04 NYPD

POLICE OFFICER MARK ELLIS TD-04 NYPD

POLICE OFFICER ANTONIO RODRIGUES PAPD

We started with a two lap ruck walk around the track and then jumped right into the climb.

The goal was at least 30 times up and down with 9 inclined merkins and 11 squats at the bottom. There was some mumblechatter, it was hot and humid but the men of the Fort did not disappoint….if you completed 27.5 times you climbed the equivalent of the Towers.

I was proud to lead and share my experiences from that fateful morning that changed the world as we knew it.

It was also great seeing DIRTY HARRY return to the gloom

We end with COT and prayers for all the people lost and the people affected still.

FIDELIS AD MORTEM…..ALWAYS FAITHFUL

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F3 Dads 2020

Having no idea what to expect, but knowing that YHC was (IS) not comfortable seeing big groups together at WEP when I drive by on 160, we set up cones 6+ft apart making two lines about 50 yards from each other.

When PAX and 2.0s started showing up, YHC was really happy to see everyone and set some expectations to stay in family units and attempt to maintain some distance from others.

BIG circle up for some warmups. All in cadence, most to 10
– SHH
– Merkin
– Imperial Walker
– Hillbilly Walker
– Squat
– Played: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Burpee
– Just like Rock, Paper, Scissors
except the loser has to do a burpee for every person in their family group that beats them. i.e., if you’ve got 3 kids they all throw paper and you throw rock, then you do 3 burpees.

Line up behind one side of the cones
– Dad vs. Kids race: stipulation Dads have to bear crawl.
Loser did 10 burpees counted by the kids
Lots of form critiquing
– Dad vs. Kids race part 2: stipulation Dads have to run backwards (Nur)
Loser does 5 burpees
*Note: it is a lot hotter in the sun at 0900 than 0515

Dad/Kid DORA
50 Merkins
100 SSH
150 Squats
*kids get to count their reps together. E.g., you have 2 kids and each does 10 merkins while you’re running, then your count starts at 21 as they run.

Mosey over to the shade for some yoga and a message about why Dads are leaving the house at Zero-Dark-Thirty. TL/DR: it’s because we want to be better. Not for ourselves, but for our families and our community.

Mosey back to the cones for a session of Leap Frog. WOW, leap frog is quite challenging on the WEP grass with younger kiddos.

0930, it was hot and I knew we had quite a few 2.0s to name. I could also see the kiddos starting to fade (cause certainly no PAX were). So we called it and headed to COT. Brief message about how school is going to look a lot different. Today’s workout is a slight look at keeping a distance from each other, but still trying to enjoy what we can do together.

FNG Count – 10
Spirit Child
First Responder
Hamburglar
Popper
Pulp
PK
Swordy
Designer
Inch Worm
Rogue One

T-Claps all around

Prayers for wisdom to be a better father.


Band Camp dismissed

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RPG-Varsity July Combo

Twenty three PAX converged at NaFo for the RPG-Varsity Combo (July 2020 edition).  Meteorological note: there was actually an occasional breeze blowing!

Started promptly at 0515 with Sasquatch leading the Broga portion.

Sasquatch leading us in some Broga

The peaceful warrior  pose was shattered by the breaking of wind by some Pax.

Next, the pax had their choice of what to do from 0530 to COT/0600:

Boot camp: Kaiser on Q

Pax did:  Stage 1 = bench workouts including derkins, dips, incline merkins.
Stage 2 = bear crawl around circle.
Stage 3 = broad jumps across parking lot mixed in with burpees.
Stage 4 = cinderblock curls and step ups on bench
Stage 5 = flutters/ab workout to wait for the six
Stage 6 = 10 pull ups 10 chin ups 10 reverse grip pull ups 3 burpees pull ups with wall sit between intervals
Stage 7 = short Mary with Freddie mercuries and hello dolly.

Run: Harry Carry on Q
Four pax ran a 3 mile loop at about a 8:10 pace.

run route

Ruck: Cake Boss on Q
Seven pax for the ruck, covering about 1.5 miles.  Topic: Matthew chapter 24 “Be ready”.

Fini, COT

Kaiser noted James 1:19; “…be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”   It can be a struggle to those in the right order.

Prayers for Cash.

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Hills, Sprint zone, Steps, Sprinklers, and Fun

13 men showed up for loops of fun this morning.  We began with the Pledge of Allegiance at 05:14.  A quick disclaimer and description of the route thereafter.  The warm-up consisted of running to the top of the hill on Massey Street. We stopped there of a minute so I could explain the “Sprint Zone. ” Four sprints after completing pain station #2.  To keep it simple since I tend to forget the pain station exercises, each station had the same exercises:  10 bomb jacks, 10 hand release merkins, 10 squats.  Four stations:  Gas station on the corner of Massey and Spratt, parking lot on Massey, parking lot on Spratt, and steps on White.  Each loop was about a mile.  The “Sprint Zone” turned into a “Recovery Zone”   for most after the first lap.

Everyone did a great job.  I appreciate coming out each morning,  hearing the encouragement from others, and challenging myself to do better.

Life changing group.

 

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